A new poll suggests that video footage can have a powerful effect on how the public thinks about police shootings and killings.
A new Bloomberg Politics poll found 25 percent of white Americans disagree with the grand jury's decision not to indict Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown. But a majority — 52 percent — disagree with a separate grand jury's decision to not indict the New York City police officer who killed Eric Garner. About nine in 10 black Americans disagree with both decisions.

One of the major differences between the two cases is that Garner's death was filmed, leaving much less of the event open to interpretation. The Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, wasn't caught on camera, so what's known about the shooting is largely based on conflicting eyewitness testimony.
The difference in public opinion shows why police-worn body cameras could still serve a public good even if grand juries sided with police in both the Brown and Garner cases. Video footage may not always force a police officer to stand trial for his actions, but it can shape public opinion and raise awareness about serious flaws in the criminal justice system.
Will you support Vox’s explanatory journalism?
Most news outlets make their money through advertising or subscriptions. But when it comes to what we’re trying to do at Vox, there are a couple of big issues with relying on ads and subscriptions to keep the lights on:
First, advertising dollars go up and down with the economy. We often only know a few months out what our advertising revenue will be, which makes it hard to plan ahead.
Second, we’re not in the subscriptions business. Vox is here to help everyone understand the complex issues shaping the world — not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. We believe that’s an important part of building a more equal society. And we can’t do that if we have a paywall.
So even though advertising is still our biggest source of revenue, we also seek grants and reader support. (And no matter how our work is funded, we have strict guidelines on editorial independence.)
If you also believe that everyone deserves access to trusted high-quality information, will you make a gift to Vox today? Any amount helps.
Yes, I'll give $5/month
Yes, I'll give $5/month
We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and
Google Pay. You can also contribute via